“Boy… Of Dessstiny”

Once upon a time in a rented rickety college bus, a group of innocent young engineering freshers, full of energy, life and ambition, who probably celebrated their 16th birthdays just a few days before this incident, a bunch out of the 60,000 other engineering freshers in Andhra Pradesh, were traveling around 25Kms from college to home, beating the heat and traffic of Hyderabad and more importantly the erratic bus driver, nicknamed Schumi, who was speeding away with no mercy. They were on the Tank Bund at that time, which in those days was at its stinking best and since the traffic was pretty moderate, standing on the footboard was pretty comfortable. You have to understand that standing on the footboard is COOL and people actually fought to be there and in many of those occasions, your humble author also took an active participation. Totally, no discussions on that. Coming back to the story, it was one of those days when the seniors were not there. So, there was liberty, freedom and blah blah blah; basically – no ragging.

At that moment, one ultra organized boy took out a newspaper and started reading the editorial very religiously. Yours truly and another equally lazy brute, relieved that the magazine section was available, started fighting over its ownership. As it has always happened in history, here too a third person came in and said – SHARE. So, both of us, after coming to an amicable understanding in a fraction of a second, jumped to the comic section first and decided to check out the awesomely infamous last page later at absolute peace.

So it was at that moment, ladies and gentlemen, that the second chap turned to the first and said –
“Saw this? ”
“Naah. I don’t read comics.” replied the first guy.
“Machan. This is NOT a comic. This is Calvin and Hobbes. It’s CULT“.“Whatever. Am not interested” said the first guy.
“Dude. Am serious. Try once na. If you don’t like it, I will buy you 3 plates of pani puri at fighter Raju’s chat bandi and vice versa if you like it”.
Since the bet sounded so tempting, the first guy accepted it and this was the strip –

I lost 15 bucks that day but the rest they say, is history!

So, came home and browsed the net and went on to read more:

The one below this you see, is dedicated to another equally lazy brute who joined this club a year later – “Late Gaa Vachina Latest Ga Vacha” he said!

The one below this is dedicated to that 3rd person who owned that newspaper – a character, who in real life is very similar to DAD below :D

So, ladies and gentlemen, that was a brief story of how one already incredible life just became more incredible. Hope the same has happened to you too – singing off with a few CnH gems-

“Do you like being a girl?”
“Its gotta be better than the alternative.”
“Whats it like? Is it like being a bug?”
“Like a WHAT?”
“I imagine bugs and girls have a dim perception that nature played a cruel trick on them, but they lack the intelligence to really comprehend the magnitude of it.”

“I want to be introduced as “Calvin, boy of destiny. But you have to say it right, pause a little after “boy,” and say “Destiny” a bit slower and deeper for emphasis. Say it, “Boy… Of Dessstiny, ” Like that!”

Yours Truly,
SuperTramp

All characters are purely real. Any resemblance to the living or dead is totally intentional.

P.S. This post is dedicated to those two above mentioned folks and the chap who offered the bet. In a way to fighter Raju too – what amazing pani puri’s he had! tsk.

P.P.S. Now three of you go and buy me the complete hardbound collection.

@Another Equally Lazy Brute -1 : This is an immortal way of saying thanks u bugger. Anyway, the ultra organized boy found this post insulting and defaming his character, so he says! What lack of unity man?

@Akki: Yeppo! have to do it sometime… I remember scribbling something about Sam, Alag & Puti here.. will see if I can re-post those

I don’t believe in coincidences. I believe everything has a definite purpose. And this morning, I just fished out my good old bus tickets, the APSRTC one’s that I always have in my wallet and had a good time reading the “…I’ve got better things to do than argue with every wrong-headed crackpot with an ignorant opinion! I’m a busy man! I say, either agree with me or take a hike!! I’m right. Period! End of discussion.” and I was smiling to myself. And also cursing a certain ‘Spaceman Spiff’, them my senior, for flicking one or two of my good-old C&H tickets!!

And yeah, Schumi, indeed!! He drove his half-red bus like a Ferrari (understatement for the way a bus is driven!!)

And Boy… of Desssstiny, we all owe each other a hard-bound copy of C&H. Its just the joy that one of the fellow Joe’s bought you one for life, and even before you indulge yourself in the joy of drowning in that magical world, you know you have to pass on the good deed to another one of us in the clan.

OK!! Here’s the deal, no matter when, no matter what, WE WILL ALL GIFT ONE ANOTHER HARD-BOUND BOOKS OF C&H AS WEDDING GIFTS TO EACH OTHER!! THAT WAY, EACH ONE WOULD HAVE ONE, AND EACH ONE WOULD HAVE BOUGHT ANOTHER ONE (OR POSSIBLY MORE THAN ONE!! ;)) DEAL BOYS. So, I’m thinking of getting married next month. As a token of goodwill from you’ll buy me one in advance ;)